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State capital Stuttgart

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Gottlieb Daimler Memorial

In Stuttgart, there is a summerhouse that made world history. It was in this small building that Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach developed the first high-speed four-stroke engine in 1883. But a gardener almost thwarted this plan.

Half greenhouse, half brick house: The world's first high-speed engine was built in the Bad Cannstatt district in 1883.

Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach had a vision: to develop an engine powered solely by petrol that could be installed in any conceivable vehicle. In order to be able to work on this project in peace, Gottlieb Daimler had a garden shed built on his estate in Bad Cannstatt.

For fear of competition, the two engineers worked there in the utmost secrecy. The gardener responsible for the large park became suspicious and one day told a police constable that he suspected counterfeit money was being produced in the greenhouse. The surprise was great when the police found only tools and engine parts instead of a coin press. From then on, Daimler and Maybach developed the first high-speed engine in the small garden shed in 1883, undisturbed by the gardener and the police.

Even today, the historic garden house still exudes the flair of the 19th century and the workbench looks as if the two inventors had only recently laid down their tools there. In addition to this special atmosphere, visitors can also see models of the first motorized ship and Wolfert's airship.

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Explanations and information

Picture credits

  • Daimler AG